I moved to Colorado!
About a month and a half ago I decided to quit a job that was making me absolutely miserable and try something new in life. Without having a new job or even a place to live I set off for my favorite place on earth, Colorado! I initially was planning to take a couple months off to travel and slowly look for work, but I was offered a job working for an adventure vehicle outfitter in Denver and scrambled to get situated in one of the only cities I actually enjoy living in.
I haven’t had an apartment in years and let me tell you, I’m thoroughly enjoying this one! It’s in a beautiful neighborhood with some great restaurants close by, a park, and plenty of places to walk Riv. It’s been a welcome change from the rv that bounces with every step and has less floor space than my Tacoma. By far my favorite part has been living within two hours of the places I’ve spent the last decade traveling 16+ hours to see, and now going into my fourth weekend here, I’ve been having a fantastic time enjoying what this incredible state has to offer.
My first weekend involved hiking one of the easier 13ers here, Mt. Sniktou, standing 13,219 feet above I-70, it’s a fairly prominent peak from the east, but from the west you’re able to park at nearly 12,000 feet making the 2 mile hike up somewhat attainable. With the thin air and mid 30 degree temps, I trudged my way to the top sporting a long sleeve shirt, wind breaker winter coat, extra thick beanie and gaiter, hand warmers, and SHORTS! I wear shorts every chance I get, but wow what a horrible idea on a windy mountain top when the mercury is flirting with freezing. But, after just about an hour, we reached the summit and enjoyed a beer with some folks hanging out taking in the bluebird skies and the perfect view of nearby Torreys Peak. After half an hour of jaw dropping views, and the much better conditions than the hike up provided, we turned south jogging down through the chauce and snow eventually reaching Lola and all the snacks.
After 2 hours of what felt as though I was breathing through a very tiny straw, thawing my legs, and eating my body weight in beef jerky, we made our way back to the apartment and got one of the best nights sleep I’ve had in years! A short walk with Riv in the morning revealed a farmers market, and though I had a short shopping list, I couldn't resist trying a new hot sauce and some fresh made bagels. Finishing up week one at the new job, and genuinely enjoying it, I set my sights on a slightly less intense hike, and enjoyed some time spent in Boulder, Co. I particularly enjoy hiking around Flagstaff mountain, while not too big in terms of elevation, it makes up for it with very steep climbs and numerous trails offering a ton of options to keep it interesting.
And for the third weekend, I decided to go big, not go home. Arriving at the gate around 8:30am with a few hundred of my closest friends, I patiently awaited the park service opening the road, we’re taking on Pikes Peak. I started from the Crags parking lot and made my way 3 miles to the summit. About a mile and half in the fun begins, we found ourselves scaling a boulder field with large rocks and iffy footing, especially for Riv who did not enjoy this section initially, but did come around. The summit was absolutely packed with people, hundreds if not thousands of folks who drove to the top on what is the second highest paved road in the country. A quick jog back to a sunbathing Lola and we were off to find beer and pizza! Saturday night was spent camping in a somewhat remote area near fairplay to set us up for sundays hike, Mt. Democrat. This was a fantastic 14er, standing proud at 14,141 feet and boasting a quad killing 2,112 feet of climbing through loose rock, snow, and ice making it a very fun adventure.
Overall I’ve been loving Colorado so far and couldn’t be happier that I made the move. This has been a dream for so many years. And even if it doesn’t last forever, I’m beyond excited to be living in my favorite place on earth and look forward to the many adventures that await!
